Car-coupling



Wm N mm P BU N0 IHU R Q W (No Model.)

. No. 521,545. Patented June 19,189 1.

NETED STATES MATENT 'rrrca.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 521,545, dated June 19,1894. Application filed February 23, 1894:. Serial No. 501,218. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

l 3e it known that I, WILLIAM G. NELSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Santa Rosa, 1n the county of Sonoma and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to whlch it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car couplings, and has for its object tosimplify the construction and arrangement of such devices and to renderthem more positive in their action and easy to couple in automaticmanner, as well as be readily uncoupled when desired, as it w11l obviatethe serious defects arising from jamming in collisions.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of theconstruction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be morefully hereinafter described and claimed. In the drawings: Figure 1 is aperspective v 1ew of a car coupler, embodying the invention, and shownapplied to the end of a car. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal verticalsection of the device.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a draw-head ofsuitable form,which has a rearwardly extending draw-bar 2 formed hollowand having therein a pivotally mounted link guard 3 consisting of anelongated bar Which is pivoted at its rear end and extends through thedraw bar into the rear portion of the draw head slot or opening and atits front end is struck upward and provided with divergent arms 5 whichare arranged at an oblique angle to a horizontal plane and have theirunder sides to conform to the upper surface of one end of the link. Thisdevice holds the end of the link in engagement with the draw head downin its horizontal position, and obviates and prevents too free movementof the link and also holds the link in proper horizontal position whencoupling with another draw head. The bar 3 is gravitating in its nature,and no springs or other retraetile devices are employed, and istherefore not liaable to become disarranged. The upper surface of thedraw head as well as thelower surface is formed with a slot 6 said boltsbeing in alignment and the upper slot having a slight forward recess 7and at the bottom on opposite sides of the said upper slot adjacent tothe said recess are flanges 8. Extending transversely across the rear ofthe upper surface of the draw head is a rotatable rod 9 mounted insuitable bearings and having'at its opposite end loops or eyes 10 whichform handles to which operating devices may be attached, and adjacent toone of said loops or eyes is an arm 11, to which a rod or chain or otheroperating device may be attached and ex-v tended to the upper portion ofa freight car. Between the bearings of the said rotatable rod two arms12 are secured thereto and arranged parallel and project upwardly fromsaid rod and have movement in the upper slot. Between the forwardportions of the said arms 12 is'pivotally secured a gravitating dog 13,which hasan upper shoulder 14 adapted to rest on the central frontportion of the draw head and when the dog is down in coupling position,the arms 12 rest upon the flanges at the lower front portion of theupper slot 6. The dog when in coupling position, enters the front recessof the upper slot 6. The lower portion of the said dog is increased inwidth to rein force the same, and this increased width of the dogrequires the formation of a recess at the front of the upper slot 6 ofthe draw head. When the dog is down in coupling position it passesthrough the lower slot 6 of the draw head and the link, and thereby isheld in a substantially rigid manner and is less liable to breakage. Thelink 15 used in this instance is of ordinary form, and in practice, thesaid link, in striking the front edge of the dog will raise the same andpass into the draw head, the dog afterward dropping through the openingin the link and automatically securing the said link in connection withthe draw head. In uncoupling the car the dog may be raised from eitherone side or the other and also from the top of a car where the couplingis applied to box cars.

The movement of the link is sufficient to allow enough play in turningcurves or to compensate for the movement of the cars and the automaticcoupling operation obviates the necessity of persons going between thetwo cars and thereby rendering the device safe as well as accurate inits operation.

It is apparent that many minor changes in the construction andarrangement of the sev eral parts might be made and substituted forthose shown and described, without in the least departing from thenature or spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In a carcoupling, the combination of a draw-head having slots in the upper andlower portions thereof, the upper slot having opposite side flanges anda forwardly extending recess, a rotatable cross rod at the rear of theupper portion of the draw-head projecting outward] y therefrom andhaving operating means in connection therewith, a pair of parallel armssecured to the said rod and located over the opposite side flanges andin the upi at an oblique angle to a horizontal plane, the

under side of the same conforming to the shape of one end of a link,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. NELSON. Witnesses:

W. F. RUSSELL, A. W. ARNOLD.

